#CityU23s | Young Citizens defeat Woodley United Royals in City Double Header.

Our City Under 23s continued their good start to the season with another win yesterday afternoon, as part of our first City Double Header of the 2019/20 season.

MATCH REPORT BY NICK BIRD

In what was the first game of the first Reading City double-header of the season the young Citizens led the way with a comfortable 3-0 win vs Woodley United Royals.

Woodley United had the first chance of the game when the left-winger made his way past Marco De Sousa and only had the goalkeeper to beat, but Dan Pike made a crucial save to prevent a goal.

Reading City U23s took control of the game after the first chance from Woodley United Royals, but they were having lots of shots from outside the box which didn’t trouble the goalkeeper. Jehmeil McNeil and Bub Touray both had chances go directly at the goalkeeper, and Kris Tuffour showed good strength leading up to his shot but failed to hit the target.

When the Citizens did get the ball into the box, they looked threatening. Nathan Jones crossed from deep on the right side, and it went past all the Woodley United defenders to Harry Peters who was at the back post where a half volley fell nicely for him, but it got blocked for a corner. From the corner, City had an attempt cleared off the line, and then Denis Haxhiu had a shot from the rebound saved, it was the best chance to score of the game for the home side so far.

Getting the ball into the box is what got Reading City U23s the opener. Jerry Fomboua put a cross into the danger area that went passed all the Woodley United defenders again, Harry Peters sprinted towards the back post unmarked and tapped the ball into the goal to give his side the lead. Reading City 1-0 Woodley United Royals.

It looked like Jehmeil McNeil was going to double the lead only minutes after when he shot from the edge of the box and the goalkeeper saved it awkwardly.

Towards the end of the first half, Woodley United Royals had a few chances to score. They had two corners with five minutes left of the half, the first was punched out by Dan Pike, the second went to the back post for a free header, but the player couldn’t direct the ball goalwards and instead saw it go well over the bar. Then with only a minute to go the left-winger decided to have a go at goal from very far out, the ball moved awkwardly in the air but luckily for Dan Pike the ball just went over the bar.

At half time the hosts had the lead, and it was a deserved lead as Woodley United struggled to get anything going in the first half with Reading City keeping the ball well and having more shots at goal. Woodley had to change something to have any chance of getting back into the game.

Woodley United Royals started much better in the second half and kept City U23s defending well into their half. They had an excellent chance to score as one of their midfielders got past a couple of tackles and got into the box, he put a shot across goal, but it went wide.

However, the positive start from the visitors was put to an end when Reading City U23s were awarded a penalty as Marco De Sousa got into the box and was going to put a cross into the corridor of uncertainty from the byline, but got tugged back by a Woodley player, and the referee awarded a penalty. Kris Tuffour took the penalty and doubled the hosts lead comfortably putting the shot into the bottom right corner. Reading City U23s 2-0 Woodley United Royals.

Reading City U23s could have had multiple chances one on one with the goalkeeper in the second half but were getting caught offside over and over again as they weren’t timing their runs correctly or were holding onto the ball before passing for too long.

Marco De Sousa did time his run correctly though when Kris Tuffour played one of his trademark long balls from midfield which unleashes the attack. De Sousa was racing for the ball against the goalkeeper and was beaten to it by the latter by half a second otherwise it would have been 3-0.

It was 3-0 only minutes after when Mohammed Drammeh Kabba added to his goal scoring tally as he put the ball around the goalkeeper in a one on one after getting past one defender to get into the box. Reading City 3-0 Woodley United Royals.

M.D.Kabba had a chance to double his goals on the day just after his first goal when Marco De Sousa played him through into a one on one with the goalkeeper, but he put it at the goalkeeper in a situation when it was probably harder to miss. Fortunately, the game was already wrapped up.

With this victory, Reading City U23s are in 3rd place on ten points from five games in the Thames Valley Premier League and are unbeaten in the league since a disappointing loss against Westwood Wanderers on the opening day.

The next game is on Saturday 28th September away against Wraysbury Village as City U23s look to continue their incredible form.